It's not all about the numbers! By GENCFO

Chris and Mike are joined by Doug Wilson OBE, founder of Verdant Edge and honorary professor at Nottingham Trent University. From environmental monitoring and pandemic response to coaching and leadership, Doug shares why more data isn’t always better. They explore how to focus on what really matters, communicate clearly, and make better decisions without getting lost in the noise.

In Part 2 of the GENCFO Live retrospective, Chris and Mike are joined by Mia, Millie, Zaki, and James from Liberty Global to bring a fresh perspective from the next generation of finance leaders. From AI and legacy systems to soft skills and career development, they explore what the future of finance really looks like — and why senior leaders might have more to learn than they think.

As we gear up for the much-anticipated GENCFO Awards 2026 shortlist announcement, hear from a previous winner, Katharina Herzog, who spoke to Chris and Mike in 2025 about being a working mother, a woman in finance trailblazer, and dispelling the myth that finance people are boring!

Fresh off the back of GENCFO Live, Chris and Mike are joined by attendees Tanbir Jasimuddin and Chantelle Hollidge to reflect on what actually made the day different. From ditching traditional conference formats to creating real space for conversation, they unpack why peer-to-peer learning, honest conversations, and shared struggles might be far more valuable than polished presentations. This is Part 1 of the GENCFO Live retrospective — and it’s all about what happens when you let the room do the talking.

In this special episode, Gavin Freegard is joined by Mike Rose and Colm Britton to explore digital planning and the role of data standards in modernising the planning system.Rather than focusing on the politics of planning reform, this conversation looks at the underlying infrastructure: paper forms, fragmented data, repeated manual entry, local authority workflows, interoperability and the foundations needed to make the system more effective.They discuss why standards matter, how working in the open has shaped the project, what better planning data could unlock, and why this kind of foundational work has lessons far beyond planning alone.

Chris and Mike are joined by data sharing specialist James Robson for a deep dive into the messy reality of data, risk, and trust. From GDPR confusion to AI adoption, they explore why organisations get data sharing wrong, why “don’t share anything” isn’t a strategy, and how trust — not compliance — is becoming the real differentiator. Along the way, they unpack real-world data breaches, AI risks, and why the question isn’t who owns the data… but who owns how it’s used.

Mike flies solo this week after Chris is sidelined by technical difficulties, but he’s joined by Tom Miller, CFO of Palladium Group. From private equity due diligence to AI-powered automation in finance, Tom shares what life looks like inside a modern CFO role. Along the way they cover fundraising, data strategy, AI in finance, and why raising three young kids might be the ultimate leadership training.

Chris and Mike are joined by Rasmus Areskoug, CEO and co-founder of Paraglide, fresh off a $5M seed round. From AI hype to actual ROI, Rasmus breaks down why most “AI-powered” finance tools are just legacy software with a chatbot — and where AI genuinely transforms credit control. This episode is about cutting through the noise and building tools that actually get you paid.

Chris and Mike are joined by Ben Adams, founder of Ben Adams Finance, to explore what modern fractional finance really looks like. From navigating founders “at war” to uncovering dangerous cash illusions, Ben explains why great finance leaders aren’t just number crunchers — they’re the adults in the room. This one’s about translating data, balancing compliance with strategy, and helping CEOs see what they might be missing.